Career Fairs

A key part of coming to university is the future job prospects that it offers and its employer
reputation. A student coming in has to eventually graduate and look out for graduate jobs in
the real world. This requires extensive amounts of time commitment to job applications,
tailoring your application to the job requirements of the company. After sending in
applications, a series of online tests may be used by employers in order to assess general
numerical, verbal, and technical skills. Thereafter, the employers may use a telephone/video
interview before proceeding onto assessment centres. Over here at The University of Sheffield,
the Careers Service places important emphasis on future job prospects by arranging regular
departmental career fairs to aid students in finding companies of interest where they may wish
to apply for graduate jobs.

Such career fairs are basically an opportunity to meet with employers in an informal setting and
learn about job and internship opportunities offered by companies, government agencies, and
non-profit organizations where you might like to work. I have personally gone to the
Engineering Graduate Recruitment & Placement Fair, which was a truly rewarding experience.
At the fair, I had a chance to meet with prospective companies to get an insight into what sort
of industries they cover, and what sort of work they do. Current employees of companies are
also present who provide a better insight into the company from a personal point of view, and
explain the sort of work you as an intern or a graduate would be doing in the company
according to your chosen field of work.
In turn, this two-way communication leads to networking with employees in the company, and
if all goes well you may ask for their email address or their LinkedIn profile so that you may
connect with them after the fair by dropping them a message and reminding them of who you
are. Via this networking, you may also be able to get your application checked from them
before submitting, along with putting their name down as an employee reference whilst making
your application. This would allow for the employee to put in a good word for you when asked
by the HR department of the company regarding how they know you.

Therefore, such career fairs also provide you with a great opportunity to network and
potentially get a reference for your applications. In addition, when giving
interviews/assessment centres for the company, such in-depth knowledge about the company
given by current employers gives you a chance to talk about your understanding of the
company and how you could fit in well within the company and benefit them.
Thus, career fairs provide an invaluable opportunity for students to gain from companies and
get a better insight into their operations. Career fairs are certainly not an opportunity to miss!